Talk Of The Town ✔️

28

Love Venom dropped a hint – one of the best event management companies. It had to be Mosaic Events. Anya read her post about ten times before calling Taylor.

She ordered, "Not a word, we'll meet tomorrow."

Anya didn't dare ask her parents or any other employees about their schedule for Sunday, the 24th. Her parents don't work on Sundays. They'll employ someone to manage the event. Sometimes, they would drop by for ten minutes. Sometimes, a phone call would suffice.

On Saturday morning, Anya received a text from Kiara.

Come outside at 10 a.m. sharp.

She threw on a pair of dark blue jeans, a cherry red chunky sweater, black ankle boots and a plain black beanie before slinging her clutch across her shoulder. Stopping at the top of the staircase, she took a deep breath.

Some of her relatives, who hang around at her place during Christmas time, paced the living room. They were chatting aloud and preparing various dishes in the kitchen. Their annual get-together vacation has started.

She has to make a quick dash, or else they'll torture her with questions or insults. When she reached the front door, her mother and aunts, yelled, "Where are you going?"

Anya sprinted across the lawn and driveway. She turned left, running toward the main road. Kiara has parked her car behind a white van, hiding from her mother.

"I'm sorry. My mother is at your place. I cannot be in your presence," Kiara announced in one go as Anya entered the warm car, shutting the door as fast as possible.

"It's fine. Hi Mona," Anya greeted her when she spotted Mona drinking coffee in the backseat.

"Hey, I'm sorry I couldn't call last night. Taylor advised us all not to contact you in any way whatsoever."

"I understand. Where did Taylor ask to meet?"

"The V&A café," Kiara answered.

"Isn't this at the Victoria and Albert Museum?" Anya asked, furrowing her eyebrows. "It's Saturday. There will be a crowd."

"It's what I repeated to Taylor," Mona added. "She claims most people will be busy doing last-minute Christmas shopping instead of visiting a museum."

"She has a point," Kiara exclaimed. "Let's go before our relatives walk out of that driveway and catch us red-handed."

Once on the scenic road, Anya asked Kiara, "So, why can't you hang out with me?"

"My mother believes your bad reputation will influence me as if I'm not an adult who can't make her decisions. Our parents warned us to stay away from you as it can also reduce our prospects for marriage."

"What"

"You're currently she-who-shall-not-be-named in the family."

"Then, what the hell are they all doing in my house?"

"Your parents' house," Kiara corrected at once.

"Of course, girls like me do not move out unless we're going abroad to study, getting married or dead."

"You couldn't have phrased it any better. Mona, you must be thinking we're crazy."

"Of course not; my mother supported my decision to move out on the condition we meet once every week, either lunch or dinner, depending on which works best for both of us. It's been great."

"Lucky you, we don't hate our parents, although some privacy would be nice," Kiara stated.

Despite the gloomy weather, the gold, red and green vibrant colours made up for it. Twinkling lights in window shops, carollers on the street, festive food trucks, warm cups of coffee or hot chocolate in the hands of strollers with their colourful bobble hats, it's a magical time in the city.